Falling Starlight
by Desrt Rose
Summary: The Round 2 Chunin Exam begins in Leaf Village! Sasuke has a girlfriend. Gaara's past is haunting him. Kakashi has a secret. And who is this mysterious girl that appears during the exams? Rating may go up. NEW AND IMPROVED, w/ Author's Note PLEASE READ .
1. Prologue

**_Falling Starlight _**

**_Author's Note: This story has undergone a slight matinence. It is a cross-over between Naruto and Shaman King (Beyblade was cut out of the storyline indefinitely). The story is still the same, but a few minor details and such have been cut (inculding the first chapter, which was not nessecarily important anyway). So, if you are reading it for the first time, this does not concern you. For those of you who have read it, it's a heads up, but there is no need to re-read the story. _**

**_-Mao A. (Desert Rose)  
_**

***

It was a cold and cloudy night in the Village of Darkness.

Once again they inhabitants did not see daylight, instead they used a forbidden and deadly jutsu, the Starlight Balls.

It was the day of graduation for the acadamy students. Young Mao Asakura was not one of them. Her 'friends' were. There was a grand party. held in their honor, and the honor of all the other graduates.

Little did they know death was only a few seconds away...

* * *

She was sitting alone in a small corner. Everyone left her to show off their new handands. She knew she could never be a ninja like them. They had gone to the acadamy, but she hadn't lived here long enough to start. Wasn't it only this morning they were all happy and acting like friends? Before the exam?  
"Yeah acting..." Mao pulled her knees closer to her chest. 'I've never felt so alone...'

Just then, a noise echoed through Mao's ears. It was a flute. The young girl stood up ane decided to follow it. 'Nobody will miss me.'

She followed the music out into the Forest of Shadows. It felt as if hours had past. Suddenly, screams and yells of pain could be heard from the village. Mao turned back to the village. It was burning. Flames rose out of the small village. Tears were brimming in her eyes. "N-No!"

The young child fell to the ground crying, her long pink locks blew in the warm, smoke filled wind. "Now they're dead... They're all dead... All of them gone..." She whispered. "Just like before..."


	2. Konoha's New Representitvies

Chapter Two - Konoha's New Canidates: Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro!

It was a dark summernight in Suna. All the lights were out, besides the dim light that came from a small tealight candle in the room of a certain Sand Ninja...

Gaara looked around at the shadows that played off the walls of his small room. He sat on his bed, legs crossed. In front of him was a pitiful exuse for a letter. 'I knew this would be hard, but not this hard!' He re-read the letter, over and over, trying to convince himself to try harder. "Dammit!"

He lay back on his bed. Again he swore in frustration. "Why's this letter so hard to write?" he whispered, not wanting to wake everyone up. He got up and walked towards the window. With sad eyes he looked at the moon. 'Is she really gone?'

*********************

Gaara slowly walked downstairs to the kitchen where his siblings were already eating breakfast with Yashamaru (BTW- The Kazekage and Yashamru were brought back to life by someone ;P Guess Who!) "Finally you wake up! Oh wait you don't sleep!" Kankuro teased, a peice of bacon hangingout of his mouth.

"Kankuro!" Temari said"Stop picking on Gaara! And will you eat with your mouth closed, you're not an animal!"

"No, but Gaara is! He's like a raccon!" Gaara looked ticked, flames surrounded him as Kankuro laughed. He grabbed Kankuro's pajama top and lifted him out of his seat and into the air, causing Kankuro's plate of food to fall to the ground.

"Hey! Lemme go you brat!"

"Say something like that ever again and I will kill you..." Gaara said, choking Kankuro.

"Gaara, that's enough!" Yashamaru yelled, slamming his hands on the table, causing Temari to jump in shock. Slowly, Gaara lowered Kankuro to the ground. "Holy crap! That's one strong grip..." Kankuro said rubbign his neck.

"Kankuro, clean up this mess." Yashamaru said.

"What? Why me?"

"Because I said so. Now do it." Yahsmaru stated calmly. "And where are you going, Gaara?" Gaara was walking out the door, a letter was in his hand.

"What's that?" Temari asked.

"Maybe it's a love letter!" Kankuro teased.

Gaara just walked out the open door and slammed it shut, knocking down the picture fram on the wall.

"What's his problem?" Kankuro asked.

"Well, I don't know...Maybe it's because of his big stupid brother!" Temari yelled.

As the two contiued fighting, Gaara walked out of Suna, into the desert. He came out here often to think over his life. The only one who knew that was Yashamaru. "Gaara is something wrong?"

Gaara whiped around. 'Damn Yasahmaru! Why does he follow me?'

"I...Do you remember Mao-Chan...?" Yashamaru's face grew confused. "The Kazukage's (Leader of Darkness Village) daughter? The one you made friends with eight years ago?" His blonde hair blew in the wind. "That's right..." There was a hint of sadness in Gaara's voice. "Do you think that she might come back?" Yashamru gave a deep sigh. In response Gaara looked up at his uncle. ''Gaara don't waste your energy. Mao's gone. She'll never come back. As far as I know she might be dead."

Gaara clenched his fists. "No! I won't give up! And I know she's not dead!" In all his rage Gaara didn't notice that he had crushed the letter. "Calm down. I came to tell you you're leaving for Konoha tomarrow." The red head looked up. "What? Why?"

"The round 2 Chunin Exams." Yashamaru said in a sour tone. "Come on..You need to pack." Absent-mindedly Gaara let go of the letter, not knowing that it blew away in the wind.

The next day Temari, Kankuro, and their little brother, Shorty, I mean, Gaara, set out on their journey to Konoha!

FFW To Konoha! Nothing interesting happens in between! I mean it!

"We're here!" Temari said happily. "Finally! i was getting tired of walking."Kankuro said over dramatically.

"I can't wait to see Shika-Chan!"

Temari's brothers looked at her starngly. "Shika-Chan?" They said together.

"Don't you mean Shikamaru?" Gaara asked. "The lazy ass that you are in a 'relationship' with?"

"He's not lazy! At least not as lazy as Kankuro." Temari giggled as they entered the gates to the village.

"Hey! Gaara!" Naruto ran to greet his old 'friend'. "Nice to see you again!" The foxie boy was accompained by Sasuke and Sakura. "Hi, Temari." Sakura warmly greeted her fellow kounchi (spelling error?) "How are you?"

"Great thanks. How are you?" And they went on and on, as their teammates just stared at them in awe.

"Sakura can start a conversation with Temari better than I can, not to mention keep it going. All we ever do is fight." Kankuro said .

Then all the sudden they heard voices. They all turned around. "Oh no! it's them!" Sakura said.

Approaching them were two girls, one with long dark hairand one with short blonde hair.

None of the sand ninja have ever seen them before.

Then all the sudden...Glomp! Both naruto and Sasuke were glomped by the girls.

"WTF?"


	3. Enter The Mystrious Ninja!

Enter: The Mysterious Ninja!

"WTF?"

"Naruto-Kun!" The blonde haired girl said. "Who are your friends?" The girl got off Naruto and stood up.

"And you are?" Temari looked annoyed.

"Oh! How rude of us!" The black haired girl said loudly, glaring at the other girl with a crimson stare. "Hello. I'm Kaia Uchiha! Nice to meet you! I'm Sasuke's girlfriend."

"At the moment you are just a friend who happens to be a girl!" Sasuke commented. The girl gave a silent "Whatever." in response.

"And I'm Kira! And Naruto's my boy toy!" The blonde said, blinking her blue eyes.

Gaara and Kankuro twitched at the sound of the words 'boy toy'.

Temari just laughed. "I'm Temari, and these are my brothers, Gaara and Kankuro."

"Nice to meet you!" The girls said together.

A figure sat in the tree above the genin. It was a small girl, no older than Gaara. She had long pink hair that was tied in to a pony tail and her eyes were covered with a ninja headband. She wore a black tanktop with a net shirt and black capris. The skin the was shown was covered on bandages, save for the skin that was shown from her feet.

She seemed to stare at them for minutes. "So is this the competition this year? It doesn't look so tough.." The girl said, catching the attention of the genin below her. Gaara stared at her.

'Why does this girl seem farmiliar?'

The girl jumped down from her spot on the tree. "Hey! Who do you think you are?" Naruto yelled. "Who the hell are you?"

"Me?" The girl stood facing Naruto.

"Yeah you! The girl with the attitude! How dare you think that you can beat us all? We are the best genin in our villages!" All the others swaetdropped. Then Sakura noticed something.

"Hey! Your leaf is backwards!"

The others looked at her. "Sakura's right. Why is your headband incorrect?If you had known it you would have gotten a new one? What village are you from? Who are you?" Sasuke asked with suspision in his voice. Again the girl just stood there. Sasuke and the others eagarly waited for an ansewer.

"My headband is not incorrect, it's supposed to be that way. My name is Mao and as far as my village goes, you don't need to know." The girl turned around and started to walk away. Then she dissappeared in a whisp of smoke.

* * *

"What did she mean?" Ten Ten asked. The other leaf genin had just been told the story of the strange ninja.

"We really didn't get much of an ansewer from her..." Temari said, Kankuro nodded. While all of them were talking no one noticed Gaara in the corner.

"Why?" They all looked at him.

"Why what, Gaara?" Neji said.

"Why...?" Gaara's face went a little crazy. "Why did she looks so farmiliar?" Temari looked at him in confusion.

"Now that I think of it, she did look pretty farmiliar..." Kankuro nodded. Sasuke looked at them.

"You know what, she did look farmiliar to me too." All the other Leaf genin nodded.

"Figuring out who she is one mystery that gets harded to solve as we go along...How can we all know her? Or at least think we know her." Kiba said. Kira and Kaia looked at them.

"We don't know her." Kira said.

"Kira just came here not too long ago." Kaia said. "And I have only been here about six years."

Then all the sudden Ibiki, Anko, and the other examiners appeared. "Okay! Everyone calm down and listen up!" Anko yelled. Gaara glanced around. His eyes went wide when he saw Mariah emerge form the shadows.

"The first exam is about to begin! So anyone who wants out ahead of time, now is the time to leave, but if you choose to say, you will not be allowed to leave till the start of the second exam!" Anko continued. "Now...Who wants out?"


	4. The Forest of Death

The Forest of Death

* * *

"Now who wants out?" Anko said.

No one raised their hands. "Coragous bunch aren't they?" Ibiki asked.

"For now...Wait till they finish this exam. Follow me, to the Forest of Death." Everyone gulped. 'So soon?' Gaara thought.

Gaara stood by Temari and Kankuro in front of their gate. "Here we go!" Temari said as the gate opened.

"Here we go..No turning back now...."

* * *

Gaara stood in font of the two remaining sound ninja cowering in front of him. "I killed you teammate with more force than nessecary, so he felt no pain." Gaara looked at the ninja with hate in his eyes.

"Please don't kill us!" One said. The other walked up to Gaara and place their scroll by his feet.

"We give up just take damn the scroll!" He said then they ran off before Gaara could kill them. Gaara picked up the scroll and gave it to Temari.

"Why did you kill him?" Temari asked, looking at the dead body on the forest floor.

"Because I felt it was necessary."

Temari glanced at him. "Necessary?"

Up over this scene was our mysterious little ninja, Mao.

"Nice job! But next time can you choose a victim that will have more blood pour out?" Gaara, Tmeari, and Kankuro looked up and saw her. Mao was sitting on a branch above Gaara's head. She jumped down and turned to face Gaara. "So I was wrong about you." Mao said, smiling a evil smile.

"What do you mean?" Kankuro asked.

Mariah looked at him. "Gaara's the strong one, Temari's the caring one, and Kankuro's the brianless one." Kankuro's face became distored with anger.

"Hey you! Take that back you bitch!"

"But then again, the Sand are know for their ruthlessness." Mao ingnored him and glanced at Gaara's kanji. They all noticed this. 'Ai..' Mao thought. 'That means love...' She backed away and made a hand sign. "I must go. I'll see you later, Sabaku no Gaara." Then she disappeared.

"We're LOST!" Kaia yelled. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kira all plugged their ears. "

"Can you be any louder?" Sakura asked.

"Maybe." Kaia replied. She just loved to get Sakura pissed.

"If you don't shut up, Kaia, you'll give away our position!" Sakura said in a matter of fact tone. Kaia glared at her.

"I hate it when you're right." Again Mao watched from above.  
'This Sakura girl is smart. At least she uses her head, unlike Kankuro.' She laughed as she watched Sakura lecture Kaia.

"Hey.. I think it's too late to start worrying about giving away you location, because I've already found it." Naruto, Kira, Sasuke, Kaia, and Sakura all looked up to find the pink haired ninja sitting above them in the trees

"It's you!" Kaia said.

"That girl!" Sakura yelled. Mao looked annoyed.

"I have a name you know." Kira looked at her. "Mao wasn't it?" Mao nodded. "At least someone is smart enough to remember. Anyway. I'll be seeing you around." And with that she disappeared.

"What was that all about?" Naruto looked at Kira quizzically.

"Not sure."

Just then Sakura had a spaz attack. "What are we doing still standing here?!" She yelled, "We need to fin our way to the tower!!"

"Now who's being loud?"

**********


	5. The Prelims! This is It! Part One

The Prelims! This Is It! (Part One)

-----------------------------------------------------------------=  
All the remaining genin stood in the prelims arena. Mao looked around. 'It doesn't seem like much. Gaara passed. I wonder if he's good enough to beat me.' She smiled. Mariah stood byherself while everyone else was in a line with their teams. "Hey, Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered. Sakura looked at him.

"What?"

"How is that Mao girl here if she has no team?" Naruto said. Sasuke, Sakura, Kira, and Kaia looked at him.

"He's right. She has no team." Kira announced in a hushed tone.  
"How can that be? There has to be a team of three or more to enter in the exams." Sasuke said.

"I don't know." Sakura whispered back.

Tsunade stood before all the genins. "Okay, are you ready for the second exam? It's just like the prelims of the begining this year. The names are choosen on the board and the two choosen will fight till there is a clear winner. The winners will advance to the last exam. Now everyone take their places!"

Mao stood in between Gaara's team and Naruto's team. The board started going. Everyone tensed. Gekko looked at the board. "Mao vs. Ayu Uchiha!" Sasuke jumped at the sound of the name.

"Uchiha?" Kaia exclaimed.

"I'm up against an Uchiha? This should be fun." Mao said with and smile eviler than Gaara's.

"Is it just me or is her smile creepier than Gaara's?" Kankuro asked.

"I think it's creepier!" Naruto squeaked.

Ayu had already walked down the stairs to the arena floor.

"I guess I'm second this time." Mao said as she jumped down to where Gekko and Ayu were. "I hope your ready to fight me."

"I just want to let you know, I won't let you win!" Ayu responded, moving some of her black hair out of her face. They glared at each other intently.

"I take it that your ready to fight." Gekko said in between his coughs. "Begin!"

Ayu pulled out her kunai and Mao got into the fighting position for gentle fist.

"Huh? Gentle fist? I thought only the Hyuga's used that tecnique." Ayu said confused. Kakashi studied her pose carefully.  
"It is gentle fist." Neji looked surprized, as did Hinata.

"I've studied almost every kind of ninjustu, taijustu, and genjutsu, every fighting style imaginable." Mao said.

"That doesn't mean your as good as the original!" Ayu said as Mao ran towards her. Ayu held up her kunai, trying to protect herself but Mariah hit her square in the chest, causing Ayu to cough up blood.

"Ayu is an Uchiha, shouldn't she be able to copy the gentle fist with her sharingan?" Ten Ten asked. Nao looked over at her.

"Our mother was of the Uchiha clan. We never got the sharingan for 2 reasons: 1) We are only part Uchiha and 2) We are Uchiha women." She explained.

"But if your mother was an Uchiha, why do you have that last name?" Sakura asked.

"She never got married."

Mao's hand was still on Ayu's chest, as she tried to move it Ayu dug her kunai in to Mao's wrist. Mao winced loudly and pulled her hand way, tearing off some of her bandages. Everyone gasped, under her bandages were two huge wounds, one on her hand the other on her wrist, and Ayu had made them even bigger.

"What the hell?"

Ayu dropped her kunai.

"What is that?" She looked surpized. Mao looked at her hand.  
"Standard ninja wound. That hurt. But this will hurt more!" She flung her wounded hand at Ayu's stomach. Ayu quickly doged the attack and kicked Mao in the stomach, causing her to back off. Now Mao was coughing up blood.

'Maybe I should end this match.' Gekko thought. Then Mao recovered and pulled out some shiriken.  
"I think it's time to re-evaluate my approach!" Mao said, running towards Ayu, then throwin her shiriken when she was a mere 6 feet away. The shiriken hit Ayu's arms and stomach. Then before Ayu could recover Mao came and kicked her stomach, throwing her upwards. Ayu was in the air and Mao was behind her.

"Time to end this match!" she said, kicking Ayu back down to the ground.  
Ayu was out cold. Mao stood about 4 inches away. Gekko went to check Ayu. "The winner is Mao!"

As soon as Mao went back up to where the other teams were the board went again. "Temari vs. Kibo!" Gekko said. Temari looked at Kibo. Kibo looked at Gekko.

"I wish to resign for the match!" Kibo announced. Sarabeth stared at him.

"What! Why?" Kibo looked at her.

"I don't want to become a chunin. I wouldn't last long." Kibo said. Gekko looked at him.

"Are you sure?" Kibo nodded. "Temari is winner by default!" Temari looked upset.

"Damn I don't get to fight!" She whined. The board started again.

"Ino Yamanaka vs. Nao Uchiha!" Ino and Nao both jumped down to the arena and began to fight. Nao pulled out her kunai and ran towards Ino.

"So you and your sister have similar fighting styles!" Ino said. Nao threw her kunai, it hit Ino. "A replacement!" Nao said as Ino turned into smoke. 'It was a shadow clone.' Ino appeared behind her, making a hand sign. Nao copied it.

"Mind transfer jutsu!" They both said at the same time. Ino was shocked that nothing happen.

"What did Nao just do?" Choji asked.

"She cancelled out Ino's jutsu with her own." Shikamaru explained.  
"Take this, Ino-Pig!" Nao said as her punched Ino, but Ino puncehed her back, knocking them both out.

"They are both out. There is no winner." The girls were brought to the infermery with Ayu and the board went again. "Neji Hyuga vs. Sasuke Uchiha!" Gekko said.

"Hn." Sasuke snorted.

"You will lose, Uchiha Sasuke." Neji said.

"Who said I would lose." Neji got into his gentle fist stance. Sasuke activated his sharingan.

"HAI!" Neji hit Sasuke and knocked him out.

"Winner Hyuga Neji!"

Mao sweatdropped. "That was fast." The board went on again.

'When will Gaara get picked?' Mao thought. "Kiba Inuzuka vs. Kaia Uchiha!"


	6. The Prelims! this Is It! Part Two

The Prelims! This Is It! (Part Two)

"Kiba Inuzuka vs. Kaia Uchiha!"

"Interesting." Kaia smiled as she jumped down to the arena. Kiba and Akamaru followed. The fight began. Mao did not pay attention to this match or any of the following matches, all she knew was Kaia had won, then Naruto beat Kankuro, Sakura lost to Rock Lee, Ten Ten was beaten by Ryoko, Shino won against Hinata, and Sarabeth was way to weak for Kira. 'What about-' Mao's gaze shifted her gaze over to him, he stood next to her. He must have felt her eyes on him, because he looked over at her to meet her gaze. She turned away. 'Why is he so different?' The board spun again,

"Nara Shikamaru vs. Gaara!"

Mao looked at Gaara, she was surprized when a swirl of sand teleported him to the arena.

"Man. I have to beat him?" Shikamaru said.

'Lazy ass ninja!' Mao gave him a look that said 'Do you want me to make you fight?' He caught her gaze, but not before she ran up behind him and pushed him into the arena.

"Hey! What was that for?" Shikamaru shook his fist at her. Mariah stuck out her tounge. "I forfeit anyway. I can't beat Gaara."

"...Lazy ass ninja..."

* * *

"Are these the winners?" Orochimaru said to his faithful assisant, Kabuto.

"Yes, Orochimaru-Sama." He fixed his glasses. "Uchiha lost."

"I can see that. " Orochimaru hissed. "Hyuga Neji, Uchiha Kaia, Temari, Uzumaki Naruto, Rock Lee, Kamiwara Ryoko, Aburame Shino, Kira, Gaara- Shouldn't there be another here?" He looked over the ninja cards.

"Yes, but I know nothing of her. She is a mystery to me." Kabuto showed him the tapes he had recored of Mariah's two tests. "She is a complete unknown,"

"And a flaw in my plan. I need to know everything about them, so I can choose the strongest to become my ninja, like Uchiha Sasuke, that's why I'm here. Do you at least know her name?" Orochimaru looked at Kabuto.

"Mao. That's all. No last name that is known, sir." Kabuto fixed his glasses again. "find out as much aboput her as you can. These tests may just be flukes or beginner's luck, I need to find out if she is truly strong."

"I'll look in to it right away." Kabuto bowed, then he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

"I already know who you are...Mao Asakura." Orochimaru gave an evil smile. "it looks like you've gotten stronger since your last visit to Konoha."


	7. Secrets in the Dark

Secrets in the Dark

Mao stood on the roof of the hospital. The participants were all here. Even Gaara, he was watching over his friends. 'I never knew he had friends other than me...' Her long pink hair blew in the night wind. She looked over Konoha with a watchful eye. Suddenly she felt another presence. She turned around quickly.  
"Don't worry." Kakashi stood a few feet away. "I won't hurt you." He looked at her, then smiled. Mao smirked.

"I know you won't."

"How do you know that?" Kakashi looked quizzically at the young girl that stood before him.

"Because my mother would kill you." smiled at him.

"Oh, really?" The copy-ninja walked closer to her. Mao glared at him.

"Don't play dumb, Uncle." Kakashi smiled at Mao.

"Uncle? It makes me fell old."

"You are old."

"I'm only 27."

"It's still old. And I'm too old for your little mind games." Kakashi sighed.

"You'll never change." Mao looked at him.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Kakshi walked over and patted Mariah on the head.

"Your acting more and more like your mother.." The pink haired ninja pouted. "I need to go check on my team." Mao nodded. Then Kakashi disappeared. She turned back around and sighed. Her uncle was so immature at times.

Just then, Mao's eyes widend as she saw a cloud of dust appear on the roof of the Kekiyo Castle. "What the-?" Mao jumped off the roof and jumped across the other roof tops till she reached the castle. Mao stood on the roof and she looked through the dust and debris. "What the hell?" Mao gasped when she saw a farmilliar red haired ninja. "Gaara."

Gaara heard MAo and turned around.

"It's you." He glared at her. "That girl. What do you want?" Mao gulped and looked at him.

"I saw the cloud of dust and wondered what it was. Why are you looking at me like that?" The girl glared at him. Gaara was looking over her body.

"Who are you really?" They stared at each other. Mao walked over to the edge of the roof, walking past Gaara. Gaara turned around to face her back. "Why does it seem like I know you?"

"How do you know you don't?"

"Hn?" Gaara pondered over this question. "I don't know that."

"So you can't say you don't know me." She looked back at him and smiled.

"Why do you cover your eyes?" Gaara changed the subject.

"I'm trying not to be noticed."

"Why not?"

"Why are you so full of questions?"

"Why do you ansewer a question with a question?"

"Shut up."

"..."

"..."

Gaara and Mao stood there in silence for the longest time. Suddenly Mariah sat down and motion for him to do the same. Gaara did what he was told. "So...What was that anyway?" Gaara looked over at Mao.

"Hn?"

"That attack. What was it?"

"None of your business."

"Fine. Be that way."

"..."

"Hey. How about I tell you something about me, then you tell me something about you? Then we take turns." Mao asked him. Gaara looked at her in puzzlement.

"Sure."

"You can ask first."

"Why are your eyes covered? Are you blind?"

"No, I'm not blind." Mao stated. "I simply don't want to draw attention to myself."

"You don't like your eyes?"

"No, it's not that."

"Then what?"

"I don't like how people stare at them."

"Oh." Gaara looked at the girl beside him. "Now it's your turn." Mao looked up at him.

"Okay, why are you so alone?"

Gaara blinked. "Because no one likes me."

"I like you." The pink haired girl stated bluntly said. For the first time in his life, Gaara turned deep red.

"Nobody's ever said something like that to me." Mao shook her head.

"No."

"How would you know?"

"I wouldn't know." She turned away. Gaara eyed her carefully, his sand rising.

"Tell me, or else." Mao smirked.

"Or else what?" Gaara got angry, she was toying with him.

'How dare she!' Gaara's sand attacked Mao and pinned her on the ground. She screamed silently as Gaara climbed on top of her. "Or else I'll kill you." Mao screamed again as the sand tightned around her wrists.

"That hurts!" Gaara looked down and saw her bandaged wrists. 'This might be a good way to get ansewers.'

"What's with these bandages? And those wounds?" Gaara tightend his grip again.

"It's nothing!" Mao winced. Gaara's grip tightened again.  
"Tell me!"

"No!"

*******************************

Sasuke was laying down in the hospital bed, then he heard a scream. He sat staright up, looking around.

"Sasuke-Kun? Are you alright?" Kaia sat next to the bed. Sasuke looked at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine I just thought I heard a scream."

"I didn't hear anything."

"Maybe it was my imagination,"

"Yeah, now how about you get some more rest."

"Hai, Kaia-Sama." Sasuke lied back down and closed his eyes. 'I know I heard a scream.'

"Hey, has anyone seen Gaara?" Temari opened the door causing Sasuke to sit up again.

"No. I haven't and Sasuke's been asleep." Kaia said worried.

"Nobody's seen him all night." Temari walked out of the room. After the door shut Kaia and Sasuke looked at each other.

"Maybe you did hear screaming."

********************************

Gaara looked at Mao as she squrimed in pain. The Shukaku started thinking of all the ways they could kill her. Gaara tightened his grip again as the Shukaku struggled to get free. Mao noticed this. The red head let go of her and grasped his head. He stood up and screamed in pain. 'Gaara!'

"Gaara!" Mao turned around to see where the voice was coming from. It was Gaara's sensei, Baki. Mao glared at him. Baki noticed her laying on the roof in pain. He looked back at Gaara. Suddenly Gaara dissapeared in a whirl of sand. Baki looked down at Mariah again.

"You're lucky he didn't kill you." He said as Mao stood up.

"He wouldn't kill me." She looked at Baki with hate in her eyes.  
"You keep telling yourself that." Mao felt like she wanted to kill him. They glared at each other for about 2 minutes.

"Why don't you go crawl back into the hell hole you came from?"

"Why don't you do the same?"

"Because I didn't come out of one."

"Could have fooled me."

She took out a kunai and ran at Baki. "A little hasty, aren't we?" Baki doged the girl's attack. She growled.

"Get back here!" Mao said thrusting her kunai towars Baki's arm. Again he doged her attack. Baki stared at the young girl.  
"Why are you so bent on attacking me?" Mao smirked.

"Cause I don't like you." She lauched at him again. Suddenly he attcked her with a long kunai. The wepon went in to her shoulder. Mao screamed and Baki kicked her to the edge of the roof. She was turned over on her stomach, almost hanging off the roof.

"Next time think twice before challenging a Jonin." He jumped off the roof and on to the street below.

Mariah looked down at the alley way. She was crying in pain. The kunai had been taken out and the deep gash was bleeding like water flowing from a river. Mao tried to get up, but fell back on the wounded arm. She saw the kunai she had was down on the street. Mariah finally got up and held her hand to the wound on ther shoulder. The blood poured down her arm. She qucickly jumped off the roof tops towards the hospital.

*************************************

Tsunade sat at her desk going through her paper work. Suddenly, a knock sounded throught the small office. "Come in." Tsunade said emotionlessly. The door opened to reval Kakashi, Asuma, Gai, Anko, Ibiki and Kurinai.

"You wanted to see us." Shinzune stood next to Tsunade holding a small piggy in her arms.

"It's about this exam." She said. "The ANBU almost caught Kabuto in the Konoha library."

"Isn't he a loyal follower of Orochimaru?" Kurinai asked. Tsunade nodded.

"So, Orochimaru's up to no good." Anko sounded angry.

"What was Kabuto looking for in the library?" Gai questioned Tsunade.

" 'Tis simple." She said, as all the Jonin looked at her. "What do you mean?" Kakashi asked, even though he obviously knew the ansewer. "Who's the one ninja in Konoha who Kabuto has no stats on?"

The Jonin looked puzzled. "Mao." Kakashi stated. Kurinai and Anko looked at him.

"Exactly." Shinzune said, holding the piggy up more.

"We need to keep him and Orochimaru way from her and her secrets, even though I suspect Orochimaru already knows who she is. Who knows what could happen if she fell into his hands." Tsunade stood up and walked to the window and looked over the village.

"Who is she?" Asuma looked at Tsunade's back.

"She is..."

****************************

The window next to the shelves containing materials with Ninja Stats was open. Kabuto stood over the table, looking at a book of missing ninja. He found a part that was particularly interesting. A ninja from the Darkness village had escaped the burning of the village, but it was hidden from the Ninja Nations, only known by the Kages and their most trusted ninja. Her name was Mao Asakura, other wise known as the daughter of the Kazukage, leader of the Darkness Village. Kabuto carefully studied the information.

"Heh. I know who you are now, Mao Asakura."


	8. Wind and Darkness

Wind and Darkness

The wind blew Mao's pink hair. Her eyes were closed and she leaned up against a lamp post. The girl was weak and couldn't hold herself up. Mao felt as if she would collapse. She griped on to her shoulder and the blood poured out, staining her hand red.

'Why Gaara?' Some stray tears found their way down her cold cheeks. Gaara had changed. She knew he would, but he was deadly now. The kind and innocent child she had once known was gone and he was replaced with a hostile, muderous demon. Gaara didn't even remember her. She cried as she walked on.

It had been over eight years ago when she last saw Gaara. They were both five years old and friendless. Mao's father, the Kazukage, had brought her with him to Suna. She had first seen Gaara outside the Kazekage's office. That was when people called her the Kazukage's Daughter. He would still call her Mao-**_chan_**,though, he was the only one who did. It wasn't fair. Why didn't he remember? Mao slammed her fist on the concrete wall next to her. She starlted a drunkard that was near by and he stared at the crater in the wall.

*********************************

Gaara stood against the wall by Sasuke's room. Kaia had told him to go there at midnight. The cresent moon was high in the dark sky. He had like 20 minutes before the clock in the hospital lobby would strike midnight. The red head took the time to recall a very happy time in his past.

**********************************

A five year old Gaara walked down the hall to his uncle's room. His dead teddy bear was in his small arms. Gaara stopped as he saw a small girl sitting outside his father's office. She had long pink hair and was wearing a lavender kimono. Her head was down. Gaara hid behind a vending machine. He had never seen anything as beautiful in his whole life. Suddenly he made a noise and the girl looked up at him. Gaara was shocked by the girl's golden stare. As soon as theier eyes met, the Kazekage and another man with long brown hair came out of the office. The man took the little girl's arm and dragged her down the hall. Yashamaru came out of his room and spotted Gaara.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Who is she, Yashamaru?"

The blonde followed Gaara's gaze. "That' the Kazukage's daughter, Mao. Why?" Gaara shook his head.

"No reason."

That was the first time he had seen her.**_ That_** Mao had been the only person he had made friends with, but she left him. He never figured out why she left or where she wnet to. Yashamaru had told him she died in the fire of Darkness village.

Suddenly Gaara was forced out of his thoughts by the sounding of the clock, signaling midnight. Kaia opened tthe door to Sasuke's room and motioned for him to come in.

"Kaia, what is this all about?" Sasuke was laying on his bed, his arms behind his head. Kaia closed the door and locked it. She walked over to Gaara and pushed him into a chair.

"I want to know what that girl is up to." The black haired girl held her hand up to her chin and crossed the other arm over her chest. Sasuke and Gaara looked at each other.

"And how do you suppose we find out?" Gaara said, crossing his arms. Sasuke nodded. The girl was pretty strong and she seemed like the kind of person to keep things secret. "It's not like we can just go and ask her."

"Ask who what?" A voice came from outside the open window. Kaia jumped and Sasuke nearly flew out of his bed. A pink haired ninja stood on the window sill. "Did you want to ask me something?" The three freaked out genin noticed the blood coming out of her shoulder, running all the way down to her finger tips.

Kaia was the first to say something. "We want to know who you are!" Mao looked puzzled.

"I told you though."

"..."

Mao stared at Gaara. 'Does he not remember me? Does eight years and a blindfold make me look that different?'

Gaara stared at Mao. 'Why does she seem so farmilliar?'

Kaia stared at the two teens as they gave each other deadly glares. Suddenly a knock sounded at the door. Kaia walked over and unlocked it. There stood Baki and Kakashi.

Mao glared at Baki. Baki looked at her bloody arm and smirked. 'That should teach her to mess with the Suna Ninja and their missions.'


	9. Sand and Starlight: The Broken Treaty

Broken Treaty- Sand and Starlight

Tsunade sat at her desk, hands foled and her eyes closed.  
'The Semi-Finals.

It had been two days since the second exam.

There was a knock on the door. Shinzune was at the door.

"The Kazekage has arrived, Tsunade-sama."

"Send him in."

The Kazekage walked in and sat down in a chair near Tsunade's desk.

"Good evening, Hokage-sama."

"Good evening, Kazekage-sama."

"So what's going on with the exams? All is well, I hope."

"Yes, all is well. too well in fact."

"Exuse me?"

Tsunade looked up at the Kazekage. Her honey colored eyes gazed at him intensely.

"Nothing abnormal has happened. Except..."

"Execpt, what?"

The Kazekage looked at her questioningly.

"The return of the Kazukage of Darkness' daughter, Mao."

The Kazekage looked shocked.

"I thought she would never return. After what happened in Suna eight years ago."

"What happened?"

"It was durning a meeting that I had witht he Kazukage..."

********************************

A man with long brown hair stood by the window. The Kazekage sat at his desk.

"So, Kazukage-sama. What is the Darkness Village's next move?"

The Kazukage turned around. "First we need to settle the treaty, then I belive I'll start one with Konoha."

"Trying to create peace?"

"Yes. The less enemies the better."

"I see."

The Kazekage stood up. "Well my friend. We shall discuss and sign the treaty this weekend. There is a festival taking place and I would not want to distrub it with military matters."

The Kazukage smiled. "Neither would I."

_______________________________

"KAZEKAGE-SAMA!"

A sand ninja ran to the Kazekage's office in a big hurry.

"What is it?"

"They're gone!"

"Who's gone?" Yashamaru came in quietly.

"The Kazukage and his daughter!"

"What?"

"They left and are gone with no signs of they're current whereabouts."

"That must mean..."

Yashamaru stood silently and the Kazekage stood up form his seat.

"They treaty is off. Our allience with Darkness is no longer in place."

******************************

Mariah stood outside the hospital. A message was sent for all semi-finalists to go to the prelims arena. She was leaving early so she could be the frist one there.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura pleaded. "Let me help you!"

"No Sakura! I can walk by myself!" Sasuke tried to get away from Sakura. He landed in Kaia's arms. They both blushed.

"Aww!" Kakashi stepped in front of them smiling. "You two love birds."

The both jumped away, blushing more. Everyone laughed, as the began to leave.

"So...Gaara. You had an encounter with that Mao girl?" Ino asked, eyeing him closely.

Gaara nodded.

"OMG!" Kira said.

Suddenly something passed them, something fast.

****************  
Mao reached the arena. She heard the others calling after her. She could not help but laugh when Sasuke tripped over his crutches.

"So you all made it?" Tsunade said coming out of the arena.

Anko came out from behind her holding a paper.

"Okay! This is how things will go! Frist match is Kaia vs. Mao. Then Temari vs. Naruto. Next will be Rock Lee vs. Ryoko. Then Gaara vs. Neji. And last is Shino vs. Kira. Any questions?"

Everyone tensesed as their name was said.

They all filed into the arena. Mao and Kaia went to the center floor.

"You ready to lose, pinkie?"

"Are you so sure you'll win?"

Mao was calm and collected.

'I can win against her. She uses sharingan. I can try to find a way out of her tricks.'

Anko signaled for them to begin.

Kaia activeated her sharingan.

Mao took out a kunai and charged at her.

'She won't want to copy simple moves. I won't break out any big tricks till later. All part of my magic act..'

Kaia dogded her.

Baki noticed something. "It seems her tactics are simple in battle."

"Oh really?" Kakashi said saracstically. "I hadn't noticed."

Mao stabed Kaia in the arm.

"Ow!"

"Heh. Now I got you!" Mao smack Kaia in the back of the head. Kaia began to fall. Mao kicked Kaia's body into the wall.

"AHH!"

"Kaia!" Sasuke yelled.

Kaia stood up.

'What the hell? She's so strong. What is that power?'

Mao smirked.

"Hai!"

Mao made soem hand signs and gathered some chakara. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"

Kaia braced for the flames.

When Mariah's jutsu was finished, she noticed Kaia was gone.

"What the-?"

"Earth Style- Underground Tunnel Jutsu!"

Kaia's hand reached out of the flooring and pulled Mariah's ankle. Mariah freaked out and pulled Kaia up. Kaia landed on her knees. Mao landed on her butt.

Both Kaia and Mao were breathing hard.

Tsunade watched the match.

'Two head-strong girls faced off in a epic battle for the title of Chunin. How interesting."


	10. Backlash! The Sharingan Attacks!

Chapter 11- Backlash! Sharingan Attacks!

* * *

"SHARINGAN!"

Kaia's black eyes turned red and the all might Sharingan appeared.

Mao retaliated away from the kunochi, who was more powerful than before.

'Could I have underestimated her?'

The black haired girl looked around and ajusted her eyesight. Her sharingan caught her opponent in it's gaze, trying to read her next move. She realized that was what Kaia was waiting for. Before Kaia could attack again, she needed to know how to counter her own attack.

When coming upon this fact, she quickly devised a plan.

Above the arena, Sasuke stood intently watching the fight. 'Come on Kaia! You can do it!' He held on to the railing of the platform firmly as he worried for his lover's safety. His mind was playing out all possible outcomes of the battle, hoping it would not turn out as gruesome as he thought it would.

Suddenly, the pink haired kunoichi attacked Kaia, who was fully braced for the attack. She responded to Mao's attack with a blow to the stomach. As she dropped her head, Kaia brought up her knee, hitting her opponent in the face. The mysterious ninja was thrown away from the sharingan user.

"Quick on your feet aren't you?"

"You have to be, to use the Sharingan correctly!"

"Oh, really?" Mao threw a kunai at Kaia, who doged it.

"Did you forget already? I'm quick on my feet, a kunai like that won't even touch me!"

"I didn't is no ordinary kunai." Mao smirked. Suddenly, Kaia heard a noise. She turned and looked at the kunai.

"What the-!?!"

There was an explosion.

"Since you seem to analyze and dodge all my attacks, I decided to use a new trick. My explosive kunai."

As the smoke cleared, Kaia struggled to stand before her opponent could attack. Mao took out another kunai.

"When I'm done with you, your gonna be a cooked goose!"

* * *

_Shadows surrounded her. Fire burned. Screams ecchoed though the village._

_Where was everyone? Onee-chan? Oka-san? Papa? Nii-san?_

_Were they dead? Was she the only one alive? _

_Tears burned her eyes. Was she to die here like the rest? There was a laughing noise._

_"O-onee-chan?"_

_A shadow stood over her, a blade raised over the young girl's head. The figure brought the shining blade down onto the girl._

_"ONEE-CHAN!"_

* * *

Mao stood preapared to attack again. Her opponent was only a few meters away, badly injured, and open for an attack. But, this girl was stronger than most, so she kept her guard up.

Kaia looked up at the pink haired ninja, her eyes filled with hate and desire to win.

'Seems like she still has the will to fight. Not for long!'

Mao pushed off the ground, launching herself at the onther girl. Kaia braced herself for the attack. The kunoichi stood for a moment, Mao trying to penatrate Kaia's defenses. Suddenly, Kaia pushed her back with all her might, then, not giving Mariah anytime to recover, landed a punch to the gut.

Stunned, her opponent staggered back, giving Kaia the upper hand. She tried to land another blow, but was blocked by Mao's hand. Kaia brought her arm down onto her head, but it was caught by the other girl's free hand before it landed. Frustrated, she tried to break free of Mao's grasp.

It seemed neither of them could attack, Mao busy with defense and Kaia trying to break free to attack. Suddenly Kaia felt something hit her in the gut, like a fist. She looked down. An arm was protruding from Mao's stomach.

"What the hell?!"

Mao dissappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving another Mao behind, her fist in Kaia's gut. Blood ran down Kaia's lip.

"S-shadow clone?" The pink haired ninja nodded. Kaia coughed up blood. 'How could I have been so carelss?'

* * *

_Betrayed._

_"Onee-chan." She was left there to die by her own sister. _

_She killed them all. Her mother, father, brother, friends, family. All killed with her own to hands and flames._

_Kaia was the only one who survived._

* * *

_Kaia awoke in a brightly lit room. _

_"Where am I?" _

_"In Konoha." She turned when she heard a woman's voice. It was a brown haired nurse with a clipboard. "A ninja from here found you in the ruins of the Shadow village and brought you here." She smiled. "You'll be fine now."_

* * *

'Kakashi was the one who found me. He took me in and trained me. And...' Kaia closed her eyes, concentrating. 'I...will...not...' She struggled to regain her strength. Mariah watched with a semi-interested look. 'Let all his training be in vain! I will become a Chunin!'

Kaia opened her eyes and wrapped her hand around Mao's wrist. Paying no attention to her opponent's shocked face, Kaia threw her aross the floor. Then at amazing speed, kicked her up into the air before she hit the ground.

"Get ready to lose!"

She appeared above Mao, who put her arms infront of her as a fultile attempt a defense. Kaia landed a kick to her arms, which sent the other ninja spiraling down, but then appeared again, to kick her down even harder, and did so until the pink haired girl hit the floor with bone crushing impact.

"Lioness' Barrage!!"

Mao lay on the ground trying to build up her chakra to her wounds to heal them. 'Such an attack. I under estimated her, I suppose.'

Kaia landed on the floor panting. 'That attack used up most of my strength. Hopefully, she's as drained as I am!'

The pink haired ninja attempted to get up, and found her opponet doing the same, and assumed a fighting stance. Her limbs hurt badly. 'I need to end this fight, but all my justsu require alot of chakra. I wouldn't be able to handle it!'

Kaia stood, gathering her chakra for one final blow.

* * *

"Orochimaru-sama?"

Silence. That's all Kabuto heard. Had he left already?

He was desparate to find out who would win the next few matches, or at least choose his ninja by their abilities.

Kabuto sighed.

* * *

It was over in that instant. Kaia felt as if something took over her. Her mind went blank, lost in the blackness of her empty conciousness.

Flashes of memories came to her mind, replaying her childhood as warpspeed.

What was this? Kaia's body felt heavy, as she came to a little bit. She saw a figure before her, blurry in her vision. It was Mariah, her headband removed. What she saw shocked her. Eyes of the brightest blue, with strange markings.

Realization hit her as she felt her body fall. Sharingan.

* * *

Nobody moved. It had happened too fast. Kaia had fallen, her body unmoving.

Mariah stood as if nothing happened. She had won by a default.

The medics came and took her way.

Mariah smirked.

"You are no match for me."


End file.
